Display apparatus



G. J. REID DISPLAY APPARATUS Jan. 14, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 22, 1938 gLAnys J 1N VENT OR. H510 M 24 ff/W ATTORNEY.

Jan. 14, 1941. 5, J RElD 2,228,610

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed March 22, 19:58 Z'ShQets-She'et 2 I IN VENTOR GLA0Y5 J R510 .4 TTORNE Y Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display apparatus and particularly to that form of display apparatus adapted to be used in show windows and has for its object a display apparatus in which the merchandise wished to be displayed is moved in such a manner as to present various sides thereof to view. The object to be viewed is presented to the viewing public in its natural condition of use and, if it is a garment to be worn, the garment is placed upon a dummy and caused to move in a manner similar to that in which it would move if worn by a natural person.

It is also an object of this invention to display articles of merchandise, such as wearing apparel, in their most natural positions and as they would appear on a natural person moving toward, by and from the one observing them.

It is also an object tothis -invention, to provide an apparatus that will present merchandise, such as wearing apparel, to view before a background which is adapted to bring out the beauties of the shape, form and color of the merchandise displayed.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a display apparatus in which articles of merchandise, especially wearing apparel, are presented to view in their most natural and impressive style and in a manner that will bring out their qualities and beauty of design.

These and other advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a dummy having a dress thereon and a curtain background, composed of a central curtain and two end curtains each end curtain and its support being shown partly broken away to reduce the disclosure.

Figure 2 is a section through the curtain supports just above the operating mechanism for the dummy and showing the operating mechanism in top plan view.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a front elevation ofthe complete display apparatus with the exception of parts of the curtain background which are shown partly broken away. The curtains forming the background are supported by posts I which sup port on their tops a hortizonally disposed rod 2 on which the curtains forming a background are supported. There are three of these curtains, a central one 4 and two end ones 3. The outer edges of the central curtain 4 slightly overlap the inner edges of the curtains 3 as indicated by the numeral 4'. The curtains overlap sufficient that there is not an open space between them but instead, they hang or drape in such a manner that the objects displayed may readily pass between the central curtain and the end curtains. The end curtains 3 are shown broken away as indicatcd by the wavy lines 3. The central curtain t is supported on the same rod and by the posts I to which the end curtains may be attached in any suitable manner. The central curtain is arranged with relation to the end curtains so that objects to be displayed may pass between the central curtain and the end curtains. The curtains are colored, shaped, and adapted to bring out the beauties of the garments displayed on the dummies by means of contrast, and are so colored that the shape, form and color of the merchandise are most effectively presented to view.

Between the posts I is located a track-way which is oval in shape and formed of a plurality of sections and which surround the central curtain'4 so that objects transported on a truck moving on the track-way will pass around the central curtain and between the ends thereof and the end curtains 3. Two of these sections are semicircular and the others are straight. By means of the sections the track-way may be made in the shape of a circle rather than oval, by bringing together and uniting the semi-circular sections andomitting the straight sections.

The track-way, of whatsoever form it may be, is so constructed with relation to the curtains that it surrounds the central curtain 4 and provides a carriage-way by which an object to be displayed may be moved between the central curtain and the two end curtains 3. The end ourtains are supported on the ends of the rod 2 and are draped to slightly overlap the ends of the central curtain. The end curtains 3 are supported on the ends of the. rod 2 and extend inwa-rdly over the track-way sufiicient to overlap the ends of the central curtain. Where the end curtains overlap the central curtain the dummies and the supporting carriage therefor are intended to travel on the track-way between the central curtain and the end curtains as they move on the track-way.

The track-way, as a whole, is composed of an outer element 5 and an inner-element 6 properly spaced and braced with relation to each other by means of spacers or tie members I, suitably attached to said elements. In the present instance the attaching means are bolts 7'. To the element 5 there is attached a track member 8 and to the element 6 is attached a track member 9. For the purpose of preventing noise these track members may be of wood or any other material that would prevent noise by the movement of a truck thereon.

To the element 6 a plurality of brackets I is attached for supporting vertical guide rollers ll. Each guide roller has a shaft 12 rotatably supported by the arms of a bracket III which is somewhat U-shaped. On the lower end of each roller H is a flange I3 adapted to support a belt M which engages the roller H and is guided therearm I6 attached to the outer element of the track-way in any suitable manner, as by a bolt i7. Attached to the inside of the track element 8 by means of a bolt 19 is a bracket l8 which, in cooperation with the base member l5, forms bearings for a shaft 21 which has thereon a roller 20.

The end of the base member l5 remote from the arm I6 is bent up to form a post 22 by which a motor 23 is supported by means of bolts 24. The motor has the usual shaft 25 on which is a pulley 26 carrying and driving a belt 2'! which passes around a second pulley 28 firmly attached to a shaft 29 supported in bearings formed in the base member l5 and a bracket 30 attached to the track member 9 by means of a bolt 3|. On the shaft 29 and rotating therewith is a roller 32 which frictionally engages the belt M for driving the belt.

The belt I4 is held in sufilcient frictional engagement with the pulley 32 by means of the rollers 20. The rollers 20 and 32 could be made adjustable with relation to each other so as to vary the friction between the pulley 32 and the belt I4.

On the track members 8 and 9 is supported one or more trucks, each of which has a platform 33 to which are attached two downwardly extending U-shaped brackets one at each end. Each bracketprovides bearings for an axle 35, on the endsof which are flanged wheels 36 supported and guided by track members 8 and 9. Extending upwardly from the platform 33 is a post 31 which has means 38 thereon for engaging a dummy 39 for supporting it in an upright position on the truck.

The motor may be enclosed in and protected by a cap member 40 suitably attached to and supported by the inner element 6.

The outer surfaces of the elements 5 and 6 may be covered by any ornamental material. This material may be varied in color, design and shape to suit the tastes and desires of the users. This covering material may be highly polished wood, metal, or any other suitable material.

While only one dummy is shown, a plurality of dummies may be used at the same time by tains are supported, one adjacent each post and. extending substantially over the track-way and a third located between the other two curtains so that the edges thereof overlap. A dummy traveling on the track-way will pass from one side of the curtains to the other and in so doing will pass between the central curtain and the end curtains which are adjacent the posts.

The display apparatus disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 is of such a nature that-the object to be displayed may be viewed from either side of the curtain. This display apparatus may be used in show windows or it may be used in show rooms in which the spectators may view the object to be displayed from either side of the curtain.

What I claim and wish to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a display apparatus, a curtain serving as a background for articles to be displayed, means for supporting an object to be displayed and means to cause said first named means to move around the'curtain whereby the object is alternately displayed in front of the curtain and is concealed behind the curtain.

2: In a display apparatus, a plurality of ourtains serving as a background for articles to be displayed, means for supporting an object to be displayed, and means to cause said first named means to move around one curtain and between said one curtain and the other curtains whereby anob-ject being displayed is moved to appear between certain of said curtains to be displayed in front of said one curtain and to disappear between certain of said curtains and be concealed behind said one curtain.

3. In a display apparatus, a plurality of ourtains serving as a background for articles to be displayed, common means for supporting said curtains, means for supporting an object to be displayed, and means to cause the first named means to travel and pass in front of and between the curtains whereby the object is moved to appear and disappear between the curtains and is alternately displayed in front of one curtain and is concealed behind said curtain.

4. In a display apparatus, a pair of supports, a continuous track between the supports, 2. ourtain rod on the supports, a pair of curtains supported by the rod, one curtain adjacent'each support, a third curtain supported by the rod, said last named curtain having an edge adjacent an edge of each of the curtains adjacent the supports, means movable on the track to support an object to be displayed, and means to cause the last named means to move on the track and between the curtains whereby the object is moved to appear and to disappear between the edges of the curtains and is presented inmoving display in front of said third curtain.

5. .In a display apparatus, a pair of support members, a rod support on said members, a pair of 'curtains' on said rod, one curtain for each support member and adjacent thereto, a third curtain supported by said rod between the other two curtains, a continuous track between the support members and around the third curtain, and means on the track to support an object to be displayed and cause it to move between the curtains and around said third curtain whereby the object is alternately displayed in front of and is concealed behind said third curtain.

6. "In a display apparatus, a continuous track, a pair of supports attached to the track. a plurality of curtains on' said supports, and means movableon the track to display merchandise and move it between the curtains and around a particular one of said curtains whereby the merchandise is alternately displayed in front of and is concealed behind said particular curtain.

7. In a display apparatus, a continuous track, a pair of supports attached to the track on opposite parts thereof, a plurality of curtains on said supports, and means movable on the track to display merchandise and move it between the curtains and around a particular one of said curtains whereby the merchandise is moved to appear between certain of said curtains and is then displayed in front of one of said curtains and is made to disappear between said curtains to be concealed behind one of said curtains.

8. In a display apparatus, a continuous track, a pair of supports attached to the track on opposite parts thereof, a plurality of curtains on said supports, and means movable on the track to display merchandise and move it between the curtains, one of said curtains being surrounded by the track whereby merchandise as moved is made to appear between said surrounded curtain and an adjacent curtain at one side and is displayed in front of said one curtain and is then moved to disappear between said one curtain and an adjacent curtain to be concealed by said one curtain until subsequent reappearance.

9. In a display apparatus, a continuous track, a pair of supports attached to the track on opposite parts thereof, a plurality of curtains on said supports, and means movable on the track to display merchandise and move it between the curtains, one of said curtains being surrounded by the track and others being between the track and the supports whereby merchandise as moved is made to appear betweensaid surrounded curtain and an adjacent curtain at one side and is displayed in front of said one curtain and is then moved to disappear between said one curtain and an adjacent curtain to be concealed. by said one curtain until subsequent reappearance.

10. In a display apparatus, a curtain, means to support the curtain, a dummy for supporting articles to be displayed, support means for the dummy, and means to which the support means is attached to support the dummy and move it around the curtain whereby the dummy is alternately displayed in front of said curtain and is moved to be concealed behind said curtain.

11. In a display apparatus, a plurality of ourtains, means to support the curtains, a carrier for supporting articles to be displayed and means to which the support means is attached to support the carrier and move it between the curtains and in endless path around a particular one of said 'curtains whereby the articles are alternately displayed in front of said Particular curtain and are concealed behind said particular curtain.

12. In a display apparatus, a curtain, a continuous track-Way around the curtain, track members on said track-way, a belt supported by the track-way and adapted to travel thereon, means to cause the belt to travel, and a carrier on the track members connected to the belt whereby the carrier is moved in a continuous path around said curtain to thus travel in a line across in front of the curtain and then rearwardly to be concealed behind said curtain and then forwardly to reappear in front of the curtain;

13. In a display apparatus, a central curtain, an endless track-way around said central curtain, two outer curtains mounted at the ends of the central curtain, and displaying carrying means on the trackway movable around the central curtain whereby a display on said means is caused to appear at one side between the central curtain and an end curtain and to then move in front of the central curtain and to then disappear between said central' curtain and the end curtain at the opposite end thereof to be concealed from view for further travel to the location for reappearance. I

GLADYS J. REID. 

